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Cold Acclimation in Brachypodium Is Accompanied by Changes in Above-Ground Bacterial and Fungal Communities

Authors :
Collin L. Juurakko
George C. diCenzo
Virginia K. Walker
Source :
Plants, Vol 10, Iss 12, p 2824 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

Shifts in microbiota undoubtedly support host plants faced with abiotic stress, including low temperatures. Cold-resistant perennials prepare for freeze stress during a period of cold acclimation that can be mimicked by transfer from growing conditions to a reduced photoperiod and a temperature of 4 °C for 2–6 days. After cold acclimation, the model cereal, Brachypodium distachyon, was characterized using metagenomics supplemented with amplicon sequencing (16S ribosomal RNA gene fragments and an internal transcribed spacer region). The bacterial and fungal rhizosphere remained largely unchanged from that of non-acclimated plants. However, leaf samples representing bacterial and fungal communities of the endo- and phyllospheres significantly changed. For example, a plant-beneficial bacterium, Streptomyces sp. M2, increased more than 200-fold in relative abundance in cold-acclimated leaves, and this increase correlated with a striking decrease in the abundance of Pseudomonas syringae (from 8% to zero). This change is of consequence to the host, since P. syringae is a ubiquitous ice-nucleating phytopathogen responsible for devastating frost events in crops. We posit that a responsive above-ground bacterial and fungal community interacts with Brachypodium’s low temperature and anti-pathogen signalling networks to help ensure survival in subsequent freeze events, underscoring the importance of inter-kingdom partnerships in the response to cold stress.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22237747
Volume :
10
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Plants
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.45dba83f9d0466ea59ab11c8d07405c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122824